Toy vehicle lift



March 23, M ERNST TOY VEHICLE LIFT Filed April 24, 1951 www@ M @Cr 36 ze sa Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE T'OY VEHICLE LIFT Max Ernst, Nurnberg, Germany Application April 24, 1951, Serial No. 222,537

7 Claims.

There are already known mechanical toys in which vehicles are elevated by lifting means, pushed out therefrom, and then run back downwards on a sloping curved track to the starting point, after which the game is repeated.

These toys are, as a result of their large size and as a result of their heavy construction, not to be recommended for a child, and are also costly in manufacture.

In contrast to these known models, the invention is characterised in that, by means of a spring drive motor with roundeended cam disc, two oppositely-lying lifting means, joined together by a lever, inserted in housings and havlng vehicles, are moved up and down, whereby the one lifting means in its highest position pushes out one vehicle, which rolls clown a sloping curved track to the bottom and `there is engaged by a second lifting means which lifts it to the top and pushes the vehicle out again, whereupon the latter is led on a sloping running rail to the rst lifting means. Such a toy can be made small and is cheap to manufacture.

' In the drawing the invention is shown in one embodiment by way of example. In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the toy with a forward cover plate removed with parts shown in section. l

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the curved track and Fig. 4 is the toy vehicle itself in section.

Into `a removable base plate I is inserted a wall 2 which can be terminated by the two right angled erections positioned opposite each other, which serve as housings 3 and Il for the lifting means, and which are provided with passage openings 5 and 6.

Inside the housings 3 and il are rmly inserted guide rods 'I and 8. To these guide rods are movably secured lifting means II and I2 having slots 3 and It. The lifting up of the lifting means results from a spring drive mechanism I3. To the wall 2 is fastened the spring drive mechanism I3 which is on its rear side provided with a disc I4 with peg I E. The wall carries also double-armed levers I'I and I 8 which are rotatable about an axle I5. The lever II runs downwardly to the lifting means Il and is provided with a peg I9 which engages in the slot 9 of the lifting means II and which can be pushed in the slit.

The lifting means is thereby carried upwardly. The other lever I8 likewise comprises a slot; 20

in which the peg I5 of the disc I4 engages. VBecause of the rotation of the disc I 4 the peg I5 moves itself in the slot 2D of the lever I8 and pushes this latter forwardly. The lever I'I is thereby moved upwardly and engages the lifting means II by its peg I9. To the wall 2 there is also fastened a plate 2I which is provided with a bolt 22. About this bolt 22 there can be rotated a lever 2d provided with a slot 23, and which lever extends down to the lifting means I2. The end of the lever 2li above the lifting means I2 is offset as at 2te with a leg 24b depending from the offset and which leg carries at the end a. -peg 25 that is inserted in the slot IIJ of the lifting means I2. The coupling of the lever 24 re` sults from a peg 26 fastened to the lever I'I, and which lies in the slot 23 of the lever 24. To the wall 2 is fastened another sloping rail track 21 which joins together the two lifting means I I and I2. On the outside of the lifting means housings 3 and 4 are provided platforms 28 at the two pas-4 sage openings 5 and 6, into which is pressed a curved track 29 which runs obliquely downwards. On this curved track 29 there rolls a vehicle for instance a car 30. Because of the narrow curves of the track 29 and the lightness of the car .30' this latter cannot run off but turns with the track and remains on it. In order to :assist it there is at the inside of the car 3D a ball 31| rotate ably inserted and free to move in all directions and which protrudes somewhat through the bottom of the car and, due to its weight and being in contact with the wheels of said car, moves it forwardly and easily overcomes the narrow curves of the track. u

The functioning of the above-described toy is as follows:

After the spring-drive mechanism has been operated, it moves the disc I4. The peg I5 of the disc I4 then moves in the conically tapered slot 2U of the lever I8 and carries'the same forwardly. Thereby the other lever I'I is lifted up andV by its peg I9 carries the lifting means IIv upwardlyto the passage opening t. The car 30 resting on the lifting means and carried up therewith is then pushed through the opening 5 and rolls out on the sloping curved track 29 down to theopening I of the other lifting means I2. In order to achieve the `pushing out of the car 30 from theA lifting means there is inserted in a movable manner va running rail 32 which comprises a downwardly extending nose 33 which passes through-a slot of the lifting means II and is rotatably held therein. To the under side of the lifting means I are fastened two lugs 3 `34' through which anaxle 34 passes and which axle is provided with a lever 35 that protrudes through an opening 36 of the lifting means Il for contact with the guide rail 32. The axle 34 is provided with a rearwardly directed strip 31 which, at the top position of the lifting means, pushes against a stop 38 and is pressed downwardly. The rotatable lever 35 is thus moved upwardly and tilts one side of the guide rail 32 upwardly, causing the car to roll down on the curved track 39. Simultaneously with this movement, the lever 24, which is coupled to the peg 26 of the lever I1, is also carried with and moved in the slot 23. The peg 2'5 of the lever 24 thereby carries with it the lifting means` I2 upwardly to the passage opening 6 so that the car 30 can run on running rails 39. The disc I4 thereby moves further until the. peg I5 comes to the broadened portion of the slot of the lever I8. At this moment, both levers I1 and I8 fall downwardly and carry with them the lifting means II and I2. The car is now on the running rails 39 of the lifting means I2 and is taken downwardly therewith. To the wall 2 is xed a device 4I)` with an upstanding nose 4|. This device 4I lifts up the running rails 39 so that the car-starts to roll and runs on the steep running rail 21. The car 30 can now run into the oppositely lying lifting means. The lifting up, the pushingY out, the rolling down and the exit and entrance from and'into the lifting means are then performed asv described precedingly until the spring-drive mechanism has run out. To the right-hand lifting meansl housing 4 is fastened an angle plate 42 rotatably about an axis and which closes the entrance opening S so that the vehicle 30 which has rolledoff the curved track 29 can firstly pass into the lifting means I2 when this plate 421s lifted high` and the lifting means is already standing at the entrance opening. This is achieved' in that the lever 24 has a nose 43 which, when the lever 24 is raised, pushes the angle plate 42 upwardly. When the lever 24 falls, the plate 42v also falls downwardly again by'its own weight and closes the entrance opening.

Whatv I claim is:

1. In a mechanical toy vehicle lifting device, an elongated platform, vertical guide meansat each end of the platform, a lift for toy vehicles reciprocablyv mounted on each of said guide 4means, a support rising from said platform, an

inclined and fixed track leading from the upper part of onel of saidguide means to the lower part ofthe other guidemeans, a second fixed andinclined track leading from the lowerpart of said last mentioned guidev means tothelower part of the first mentioned guide means, and clockwork driven means mounted on said support and connected to and reciprocating the lifts into and out of horizontal alinement with the ends of said tracks.

2. In a mechanical toyfvehicle lifting device, an elongated platform, vertical guide means at each endV of the platform, a lift for toy vehicles reciprocably mounted on each of` said guide means,V a support risingffrom said platform, an inclined and fixed track leading from the'- upper part of one of 'said guide means tothe lower'part of the other guide means, asecond fixed and inclined track leading from the lower part of said lastv mentioned guide means to the lower part of the first mentioned guide means, clockwork driven means mounted on said support and connected to and reciprocating the vlifts into-and out of hori- 'zontal alinement-with the endsof -said tracks, and

means for causing movement of toy vehicles from said lifts upon alinement of the respective lifts and upper ends of the tracks.

3. In a mechanical toy vehicle lifting device, an elongated platform, vertical guide lmeans at each end of the platform, a lift for toy vehicles reciprocably mounted on each of said guide means, a support rising from said platform, an inclined and fixed track leading from the upper part of onefof said guide means to the lower part of the other guide means, a second fixed and inclined track leading from the lower part of said last mentioned guide means to the lower part of the rst mentioned guide means, clockwork driven means mounted on said support and connected to and reciprocating the lifts into and out of horizontal alinement with the ends of said tracks, a tiltable platform on each of said lifts, tilting mechanisms under said platforms, a stop for actuating said mechanisms carried by said guide means and engaging the respective mechanisms adjacent the upper ends of said tracks;

4. In a mechanical toy vehicle lifting device.. an elongated platform, vertical guide meansat each end of the platform, a lift for toy vehicles reciprocably mounted on each of said guide means, a support rising from said platform, an inclined and fixed track leading from the upper part of one of said guide means to the lower party of the other guide means, a second fixed and inclined track leading from the lower part of said last mentioned guide means to the lower part of the first mentioned guide means, a clockwork mounted on said support, a disk rotatably driven by said clockwork, a pair of leverspivotally con# nected to said support and each having an arm operatively connected to a respective lift, and means actuated by the rotation of said diskand causing oscillation of the levers.

5. In a mechanical toy vehicle lifting device, an elongated platform, vertical guide means at each end of the platform, a lift'for toy vehicles reciprocably mounted on each of saidv guide means, a support rising from said platform, an inclined and fixed track leading from the upper part of one of said guide means to the lower part of the other guide means, a second fixed and inclinedV track leading from the lower part of said last mentioned guide means to the lower part of the first mentioned guide means, a clockwork mounted on said support, a disk'rotatably driven by said clockwork, a pair of levers pivotally connected to said support and each having an arm operatively connected to a respective lift, means actuated by the rotation of said disk and causing oscillation of the levers, and means for causing movement of toy vehicles from said lifts upon alinement of the respective lifts and upper ends of the tracks.

6. In a mechanical toy vehicle lifting device, an elongated platform, verticalv guide meansV at each end of the platform, a lift for toy vehicles reciprocably mounted on each of said guide means, a support rising from said platform, an inclined and fixed track leading from the upper part of one of said guideV means to the `lower part of the other guide means, a second fixed and inclined track leading from the lower part of said last mentioned guide means to the lower part of the first mentioned guide means, a clockwork mounted on said support, a disk rotatably driven by said clockwork, a pair of levers pivotally connected to said support and each having an arm operatively connectedrto a respectiveilift, means actuated by 'therotation of said disk and-causing oscillation of the levers, a tiltable platform on each of said lifts, tilting mechanisms under said platform, a stop for actuating said mechanisms carried by said guide means and engaging the respective mechanisms adjacent the upper ends of said tracks.

'7. In a mechanical toy vehicle lifting device, an elongated platform, vertical guide means at each end of the platform, a lift for toy vehicles reciprocably mounted on each of said guide means, a support rising from said platform, an inclined and xed track leading from the upper part of one of said guide means to the lower part of the other guide means, a second xed and inclined track leading from the lower part of said 1 last mentioned guide means to the lower part of the rst mentioned guide means, a clockwork mounted on said support, a disk rotatably driven by said clockwork, a bell-crank lever pivoted at its angle to said support, said lever having a short arm provided with pin and slot connection with the disk and a long arm having pin and slot cone 5 nec'tion with one of said lifts, a second lever pivl0 bell crank lever.

i MAX ERNST.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

